Tension-regulator for overhead cables.



No. 757,952. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

J. F. a; n. J. MoKAY. TENSION REGULATOR FOR OVERHEAD GABLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1904.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

J. P. & D. J. McKAY. TENSION REGULATOR FOROVERHEAD GABLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 1904.

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ATTORNEYS Uwrrnn STATES JOHN F. MoKAY AND DAVID J. MoKAY, OF BOVVIE, LOUISIANA.

Patented April 19, 1904.

PATENT ()FFICE.

TENSION-REGULATOR FOR OVERHEAD CABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,952, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed February 16, 1904. Serial No. 193,781. (No model.) i

To all whom, if; may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN F. MoKAY and DAVID J. MoKAY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Bowie, in the parish of Lafourche and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Tension-Regulator for Overhead. Cables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention relates to apparatus for regulating the tension on overhead cables, and is especially applicable to those forming a support and track for running carriages or other traveling conveyers used in transporting goods. It is especially designed for use in lumber-camps in transporting logs through the forest from the place of felling to the railroad.

It is frequently necessary to carry the logs adistance of six hundred or eight hundred feet, requiring cables of great size, while the continual shifting of the base of supplies necessitates the frequent change in the position of the transporting-lines.

It is the object of our invention to provide an apparatus capable of manipulating cables of the largest size and greatest length and which will permit of rapid change when it is desired to shift the position of the cable-lines.

Another object is to relieve the strain upon the hoisting-drum after the cable has been placed under the desired tension and been secured in position.

A further object is to enhance the safety of the men engaged in the vicinity of the cablesupport by so arranging the guy-chains that each will take the strain of the other in the event of a break in the guy or pulley.

Again, it is frequently necessary to slacken the cable for the purpose of an examination of the conveyer or carriage in case of an accident. By the use of our invention both time and labor are saved, the operation of lowering and readjusting the cable requiring a minimum of time and the services of one man, whereas the systems in general use require considerable time and the services of several men.

Our invention will be better understood by reference to the following description, while its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the'accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing our improved cable-tension regulator in operative position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the winding-drum of the cable-tightener, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the cabletightener with its securing-strap attached thereto.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the main cable is shown at 1 secured to the strap of the running block 2, which can be adjusted toward or away from the supporting-column, spar, or tree 3 by means which will be presently explained. To the strap of the standing block or guide 1 is fastened the tightening-cable 5, which passes in succession over the sheave of the tail or anchor block 6, standing block or guide 7 running block 2, standing block 4, and barrel 8 of the cabletightening drum 9, to which it is secured. The tail-block 6 is secured to an anchor stump or post 10 by a rope 11 on the opposite side of the tree 3 from the block 2 and preferably about in line therewith, as indicated.

The tightening-drum 9 is held in position by means of arms 12, passing at the sides of the tree 3, and chains 12 on the ends of said arms, the chains being connected by a tightening and locking book 12*, Fig. 2. The arms 12 are pinned or otherwise secured, as shown at 15, to a U-shaped frame 13, passing over the ends of the shaft 14, and the drum 9 is strongly braced against movement by guychains 16, secured to the turnbuckles 16 on arms 16 which engage opposite ends of the shaft 14.

Secured to the barrel 17 of the drum 9 and wound in the opposite direction from that of the cable 5 is a rope or cable 18, which passes overastanding block 19, held by the chain 19, and is secured to the drum of the Windlass 20 on the car-platform of the skidder 21. The

tightening-drum is free to rotate in a direc tion to wind the cable 5 thereon, but is prevented from rotation in the opposite direction 5o attendant.

by the engagement of the dog 22 with the teeth 23 of the ratchet-rim of the barrel 17. The skidder is indicated in a convenient manner by a. car-section, and it is understood that it will ordinarily be provided with the usual hoisting or winding engine operatively connected with the Windlass 20 and the windingdrum 24. The latter carries the hauling-rope 25, which passes over the standing block 26, made fast to the tree by a chain 26,and is secured to the traveling carriage 27.

The manner of suspending a log for transportation is clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The log 28 is held by tongs 29, suspended from a hauling-rope 30, which passes over the sheaves of the block 31, attached to the carriage, and the block 26, secured to the tree, to a suitable winding-drum on the skidder, which we have not illustrated, as it is similar to that shown The operation of our device will be evident from'the foregoing description. The log is hauled by drawing upon the ropes 25 and 30, connected, respectively, to the carriage and tongs, which may be done in the usual manner by winding said ropes on the Windingdrums of the skidder.

. The manner of tightening the cable, which constitutes the special feature of our invention, is. as follows; Power is applied to the Windlass in the direction of the arrow and is transmitted to the tightening-drum through the rope 18, thereby winding the tighteningcable 5 upon the barrel 8 of the tighteningdrum 9 and drawing the block 2, attached to the main cable, toward the tree 3. In this operation we have the leverage due to the difference in the radii of the barrels 8 and 17 of the differential drum 9 and that due to-the ratio between the distance traversed by the pulley 2 and that traversed by the tighteningcable, said distances being as one to two. The cable may be quickly slackened by lifting the dog 22 from the ratchet-rim of the tightening-drum, whereby the strain of the cable is thrown upon the hoisting mechanism of the skidder which is under the control of a single The dog 22 is released by means of a rope 22 that can can be reached by the operator on the skidder 21;

An important feature resides in the manner of securing the blocks and cables to the tree, whereby the probability of an accident due to the falling of any portion of the overhead structure is almost entirely avoided. From an inspection of Fig. 1 it is apparent that the block 7 will be held fast by its guy-chain 7 if the block 4: or its guy-chain 4" should break, and, vice versa. the blocks L and 7 will hold if either the block 6 or the block 2 should. break.

new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 4 1. In a tension-regulating device for overhead cables, the combination with amain cable, of an end guide therefor, fixed guides provided with means for attachment to a tree or other support, an anchoring device having a guide secured thereto, a tensioning device and an auxiliarycable connecting said tensioning device with said guides.

2. In a tension regulating apparatus for overhead cables, the combination with a main cable, of amovable guide therefor, fixed guides provided with means for attachment to a tree or other support, an anchoring-guide provided with means for attachment to a post or other support, a tensioning device and an auxiliary cable connecting said device with said guides.

3. In a tension regulating apparatus for overhead cables, the combination with a main cable, of fixed guides having means for attach- .ment to a tree or other support, a movable guide secured to the cable on one side of the tree, an anchoring-guide on the opposite side of the tree, a tensioning. device and a cable connecting said device with said guides.

4. In a tension-regulating apparatus for overhead cables, the combination with a main cable, of fixed supports therefor provided with means for attachment to a tree or other stationary member, a movable guide provided with means for attachment to said cable, a

tensioning device and means for connecting said device with said supports and guide.

5. In a tension-regulating apparatus for overhead cables, the combination of a movable guide provided with means for attachment to a main cable, an anchoring-guide having means for attachment to a post or other support, fixed guides located between said movable and anchoring guides, provided with means for attachment to a tree or other support, a tensioning and securing device and means for connecting said device in operative relation with 7 said guides.

6. In a tension-regulating apparatus for overhead cables, the combination of a main cable having a movable block attached thereto, an anchoring-block provided with means for attachment to a post or other stationary member, standing blocks provided with guys I overhead cables, the combination with amain anchoring the same.

cable, of an auxiliary tensioning-cable provided with means for supporting the same from a tree or mast, a tensioning device also provided with means for attachment to said tree, means for applying power to said tensioning device, means for securing the tensioning device under any desired tension, and means connected to said tensioning-cable for 8. In a tensioning apparatus for overhead cables, the combination with a main cable having a running block secured thereto, a tailblock having means for attachment to a stationary structure, a tensioning device, an auxiliary cable connecting said device with said blocks, and stationary blocks provided with guys for attachment to a tree or other support and positioned intermediate said running and tail blocks, whereby upon the failure of either block the remaining blocks and auxiliary cable will be held from falling.

9. A tension-regulating apparatus, comprising running and tail blocks, intermediate supporting and guiding blocks, a tensioning device and a cable cooperating with said device and blocks.

10. A tension-regulating apparatus, comprising a tensioning-cable provided with separate means for attachment to a main cable and to an anchor, a plurality of intermediate guiding and supporting means, and a tensioning device in cooperative relation therewith.

11. A tension-regulating apparatus, comprising means for attachment to a main cable and to an anchor respectively, intermediate means for attachment to a support, means for applying tension, and a cable connecting said means in cooperative relation.

12. A tension-regulating apparatus, comprising mcans for attachment to a main cable and to an anchor respectively, intermediate means for attachment to a support, means for applying tension, a cable connecting said means in cooperative relation, and means for securing the parts in any desired position.

13. A tension-regulating apparatus, comprising main cable and anchor blocks, intermediate guiding and supporting blocks having means for attachment to asupport, a tensioning-drum provided with differential windingfaces, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism,and means for attachment to said support, a cable secured to one of said faces and passing about said blocks, and a winding-cable connecting said other face with a source of power.

14. A tensioning device for cables, comprising a drum provided with a plurality of winding-barrels of diflerent radii and a ratchetrim, an axle therefor, a dog cooperating with said ratchet-rim, and a supporting-frame carrying means for attaching to a spar or other support.

15. A tensioning device for cables, comprising a drum provided with a plurality of winding-barrels of different radii and a ratchetrim, an axle therefor, a dog cooperating with said ratchet-rim, a supporting-frame carrying means for attaching to a spar or other support, and means for bracing said drum against lateral thrust.

16. The combination with a main cable, of

a tensioning-cable, a drum for acting on the tensioning-cable, and means for actuating the said drum, said means comprising a second drum and a cable in connection with the two drums.

17 The combination with a main cable, of a tensioning-cable in connection therewith, and a winding-drum for the tensioning-cable, said drum having means for embracing a tree or like standing support for securing the drum in place. i

18. The combination with a main cable, of a tensioning-cable in connection therewith, a winding-drum for the tensioning-cable, said drum having means for embracing a tree or like standing support for securing the drum in place, a second drum having means of support separate from the first drum, and a driving connection between the two drums.

19. The combination with a main cable, of a tensioning-cable, means for exerting tension on said tensioning-cable, said means including a driving device having connection with a suitable source of power, and a driven device having connection with said driving device and with the tensioning-cable, and means in connection with said driven device and independent of the driving device for holding the same against the strain of the tensioning and main cables.

20. A tensioning device for cables, comprising a drumprovided with a plurality of winding-barrels of different radii and a ratchetrim, an axle therefor, a dog cooperating with said ratchet-rim, a supporting-frame carrying means for attaching to a spar or other support, and means for bracing said drum against lateral thrust, said means including guychains and turnbuckle-links.

21. The combination with a main cable, of.

22. The combination With a main cable, of In testimony whereof We have signed our H a tensioning mechanism comprislng a cable names to this specification 1n the presence of and a windmg-drum, the said drum having two subscribing wltnesse's.

securing means extending at one side thereof JOHN F M CK AY 5 and adapted to embrace a tree, or like stand- DAVID MCKAY ing support, and means separate from the drum for driving said drum, said driving Witnesses:

- means including a Winch and a cable connect- VALLEY E. LANDRY,

ing the Winch and drum. 0. LIVELY. 

